That Belle
by ACh1ppedCup
Summary: Storybrooke Asylum is full of surprises. What Dr. Gold didn't expect to find was a deep affection for one of his most tormented patients. Very AU. No FTL and no curse.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I owe nothing but the universe. All the characters are someone else's.**

The Storybrooke Asylum was a deceptively beautiful building. The gothic style building was made of gray stones and marble. It was a Kirkbride layout, so it was made up of winding halls and endless corridors. Gardens and fountains covered the acreage that surrounded the building, nearly making the residents and their visitors forget the fact that a cemetery was located right beyond the stables.

The inside of the hospital was nearly as beautiful as the outside. The halls had a rustic and almost homey feel to them. Antique furniture was placed under windows and in front of televisions. The patient rooms were as barren as could be expected, but the beds were comfortable and they came with private bathrooms.

The Asylum was once an overpopulated refuge for the criminally insane and the mentally handicapped, but now the halls weren't quite so crowded. It was currently housing about two hundred patients, half of whom were responding to their treatment there quite well.

The owner of the Asylum, Regina Mills, made sure that everything was run smoothly and effectively. She had inherited the hospital from her late husband and was more than happy to take the reigns. Leo was soft and he coddled the patients and the staff at Storybrooke. She made sure that changed the day after his funeral.

About two years after her takeover, Dr. Rumforde Gold the head Psychiatrist of the hospital was ready to quit. More and more he was seeing his patients being tormented by Regina and her staff of aggressive orderlies.

Gold was, by reputation, a very harsh man. He practiced tough love (minus the love) on his patients and he didn't accept weakness as an excuse for them not to improve. He didn't expect results over night. That would make _him _insane. He just wanted them to strive for a clear outlook on life.

Director Mills on the other hand, saw any resistance from the fragile residents as aggression and she would order harsh punishments such as ice baths or isolation if she deemed fit.

Adelaide, the girl who was so emotionally damaged after her father died in a boating accident that she had convinced herself that she could breath underwater, was locked in an isolation chamber when she said she didn't want to drink her milk.

Ruby, the girl who thought she was part wolf, was issued a straight jacket when she pushed a handsy orderly away when he tried to grope her.

Max, the young man who believed he was raised in the jungle, was chained to his bed for two weeks when he refused to put shoes on.

Gold couldn't help but feel the smallest flare of pity for his patients as they were forced further into insanity by the wicked woman's ways. But not wanting her to know she was getting to him, he simply turned his head and pretended he didn't notice.

"Dr. Gold!" A voice startled him as he made his way down the large staircase that led into the lobby. He turned to see Mary Margaret Blanchard-Regina's stepdaughter and a fellow psychologist-hurrying to catch up with him. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

"Only if you can do it while we walk Dr. Blanchard, I have a very busy schedule." He continued his descent.

"It's about Regina, I think she's up to something." Mary Margaret kept her voice low as she tried to match his brisk pace. For a man with a bad knee, he was a fast mover.

"Welcome to the Ball Game dearie, you're about fifteen years late on that one." Gold spared her a small glance over his shoulder as he approached the front doors. "Do you have a point?"

"Yes!" The dark haired woman huffed with a small glower. "I believe she's keeping something from everybody."

"I believe what you're referring to is her soul. And that, I'm afraid, is long gone." He turned and rested on his cane impatiently.

Mary rolled her eyes, something she found herself doing a lot of when she was in this hospital. "I think she has patients we don't know about!" She whispered sharply, looking around to make sure no one could hear her. "Somewhere in Storybrooke."

That had gotten a little bit of his attention. But Rumforde Gold was a born skeptic, "What makes you think that?"

"When I was going through my patients' charts, I found some that I didn't recognize. There must have been a mix up of some sort." She pulled the files out of her bag and handed them to him. "I have never seen any of these names before!"

Gold sighed as he opened the first file. "Well that could be because this patient is deceased." He said impassively thrusting the chart back into her hand before going to the next one, which he also threw back at her. "And this one too."

"Yes, they're deceased, I know!" Mary growled taking the rest of the files back from him. "But they all died recently, and none of the causes of death are shown!" She pointed out the blank boxes on the death certificates.

"Possibly a clerical error, I mean they're obviously not your charts, someone must have misplaced them before finishing them." He was really beginning to lose interest.

"Well what about this one?" Dr. Blanchard demanded, holding up a chart. "She's still alive, and as of yesterday, he health is rapidly deteriorating, just like the rest of them. Before they _died_." She could see the man's wheels turning at that one.

"I've never seen this name before." He muttered, flipping through the chart. "She's only eighteen, how has she been here for five years? We don't treat adolescents."

Mary shrugged and gave him a _'That's my point' _look. "She's listed as highly aggressive and untreatable. It says that she killed a man when she was twelve and that she was too young for prison."

"Yes I can read doctor, thank you." Gold muttered, as he skimmed the chart. "My god they have her on more medications than I thought anyone could handle."

"More than anyone _should _handle." Mary corrected. "So will you help me?" Gold looked up in surprise.

"Why would I help you?" He scoffed.

"Because you have just as much access to this building as Regina does." The younger doctor pointed out. "And almost as much power! Please Dr. Gold? I don't want this girl to die because of my lack of status in this damn building.

Rumforde sighed again as he took his scarf off. "I guess I don't need lunch today then." He muttered. "I just need to stop by my office then we can go on your silly little hunt."

/

"So we know that she wouldn't be on the first, second, or third floor there are too many people there and we would have seen her by now." David Nolan, one of the few kind orderlies in Storybrooke as well as Mary Margaret's fiance said as he rolled a map out across Gold's desk.

Biting back his remarks about not being told that they'd be joined by the young blonde man, Rumforde leaned over his shoulder. "The fourth floor is out of the question, the library and art rooms are frequented quite a bit and the fifth floor is all storage space."

"I still say she's keeping her in a mausoleum or something!" David insisted. "She can't be in the building. We would have seen her!"

"I've never seen Regina go near the mausoleums!" Mary Margaret argued gently.

"How do we know Regina's the one behind this?" Nolan asked.

"Who else would be behind it? The treatment this girl is going through has Regina written all over it! The ice baths, the restraints, and she even cut her nails nearly to the quick! I watched her do that to three patients last week alone."

"We just can't jump to conclusions if we want to be impartial."

"I don't want to be impartial David, I want to find this girl!"

"What about the basement?" Dr. Gold, who had been studying the blueprints while they had their little spat, asked pointing at the area. "Mills doesn't let anyone down there because she claims it's _a liability_. She even has a padlock on the door."

The couple thought for a moment before they made sense of it. "She did isolate Leroy when he insisted that he had to go down there and dig for fairy dust." Mary Margaret recalled.

"And when the power went out last month, she insisted that she be the one to go down and check the fuse box." David added.

"I'd say it's a good place to start." Rumforde said with a shrug as he headed out of his office without a second glance at them.

/

"Okay, Regina is meeting with the board and she shouldn't be out for at least an hour." Mary Margaret reported as she met up with them at the basement door, which was located down a hallway towards the back of the lobby. "Ruby said she'd howl if she sees any sign of her." She gestured towards the slender girl who was casually perched on top of the reception desk, her bare feet dangling over the side as she waved at the trio.

"We need to be quick." David said quietly as he pulled a hammer and a crowbar from the duffle bag he'd collected from his car and got to work on breaking the lock. It only took him a few tries before the padlock broke and the door slid open.

Gold took the lead down the stairs, not having the patience to wait any longer for the couples' hesitations and worried looks over their shoulders. "Why are the lights flickering?" He heard Mary ask when they reached a corridor at the bottom of the stairs.

"Must be a faulty circuit." David observed.

Rumforde strained his ears as they made their way further and further into the belly of the basement. He could hear a familiar humming sound as they reached a left turn. "That's no circuit." He stated as he quickened his pace.

"What do you mean?" Mary asked trying to keep up. Gold ignored her and continued to navigate as the humming got louder and louder and turned into a full on buzz.

He turned another corner to see a nurse sitting behind a large desk that almost seemed out of place in the bleak basement. "What are you doing down here?" She demanded, standing from her post.

"I suppose we could as you the same thing!" Gold snarled making his way past the woman who put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"You can't go back there!" She growled, attempting to yank him back. But in a swift movement, the metal handle of his can connected with the back of her head and she hit the ground like a sack of potatoes.

"Let's go." He called back to the shocked duo behind him as he all but sprinted down the hall. He knew the sounds that filled the hair as he got closer and closer to their destination. He didn't want to wait a minute longer to find out what was going on.

They finally reached a metal door at the end of the hall. He looked through the slat in the door to see two men on either side of a bed that held a small girl in it. The girl was writhing and making muffled screams around the white rag that was shoved between her teeth. Around her head was a leather strap that held a cone to each of her temples.

"My god is that-?" Gold heard David stammering as he threw the door open and charged into the room.

"What is the meaning of this?" He yelled going over to a switch on the wall and pulling the lever until the buzzing stopped.

"Director Mills orders." One of the men, Dr. Whale informed him without an ounce of regret in his voice. "This girl is certifiably insane."

"No shit! This is a damn _Insane_ Asylum!" Rumforde all but shouted as he stormed over to the bed and began removing the bindings from the girls ankles. He could see her bones sticking out beneath her pale skin. She was as thin as some of the anorexics who resided on the third floor. Her dark hair was limp and as malnourished as the rest of her, and though her eyes were closed, he could see that they were sunken in. "How often has she been getting this treatment?" He demanded rubbing some warmth into her cold hands after he unbound them.

"Once, maybe twice a week for the past two years." The other man, one he didn't recognize replied. His voice held a little bit more guilt than his partner's.

"What?" Mary gasped from the doorway. "You mean to say she's had this done over a hundred a times?"

"208 times to be exact." Whale seemed almost proud of the number. "She's a stubborn one."  
"She's a _lucky_ one!" The woman corrected him. "No one should have survived this sort of treatment! What were you thinking?"

"Director Mills said to continue it until she admits guilt." The other doctor explained. "She hasn't said a word since she got here."

Not wanting to hear anymore, Rumforde reached down and picked the frail girl up into his arms. Seeing him falter a bit on his bad knee, David went to help but the older man shook his head. "I suggest you see to your friend out here." He gestured to the hallway, "She seems to have taken a nasty bump to the head."

/

As they approached the stairs that led back up to the lobby, they could hear Ruby's persistent howl echoing down the stone steps. "Regina must be out of her meeting." Mary observed nervously.

"Perfect timing." Gold seethed shifting the girl in his arms as he reached the door and stepped into the lobby.

There were quite a few patients out given that it was the free hour before dinner started. All of them turned to stare at the group that emerged from the depths of the asylum. In the middle of the crowd, stood director Mills, whose hand was wrapped around a breathless Ruby's thin arm.

"Well, well, well." She sneered with a wicked half-smile. "What have we here?"

/

**A/N: Any reviews and feedback would be greatly appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry this took so long! I decided to change the direction of this story so I scratched the four chapters I'd already had and started over! I hope to have the third chapter up within the week though! **

**I Own Nothing! (Except pain after last night's episode.)**

"I honestly don't see what the problem is." Regina said as she pushed the file across the desk. "I've simply been treating this girl the way I seem fit."

Doctors Gold, Blanchard, Hopper, and Whale were gathered in her large office discussing their little discovery in the basement. Belle had been taken to a private room to be looked over by one of the doctors they kept on staff. She had been unconscious still when they had left her.

"You subjected her to electroshock therapy twice a week for two years!" Mary Margaret all but growled at her step mother.

"Shock Therapy is a common form of treatment, especially on minds as unstable as her own." Regina held onto her confident sneer as she defended her actions.

"Yes, but Raw Shock Therapy is torture." Gold informed her through gritted teeth, his eyes dark with anger. The woman had gone too far in her quest to make their patients' lives miserable. No one deserved to go through what this girl had gone through.

"He's right ma'am." Dr. Hopper piped up when Regina scoffed at Gold's statement. "Doing such a procedure without proper sedation is very painful and quite dangerous."

"We sedated her for the first month or so." Regina reasoned with a small shrug. "But when she refused to take to the treatment, we decided that it was best that we saved money. She's a difficult case."

"In our world, when a treatment doesn't take after multiple tries, we move on to find an alternative." Mary explained, her eyes narrowed.

"The ice baths didn't work either." Dr. Whale muttered.

"Well considering that she's not here for a fever, I'd say that is a correct assumption!" Mr. Gold snapped, standing up and beginning to pace the room. "We'll move past the Shock Therapy, _for now_. I have a couple of other matters I'd like to address."

"Such as?" The Director raised her eyebrows.

"Such as, why is she skin and bones? Why is she covered in cuts and bruises? Such as, why the hell did you hide a damn teenager in the basement of this hospital for five years?" His voice gradually grew into a shout as he approached her desk.

Regina glowered at the man for a moment before grabbing the girl's file again and flipping it open. "Her father surrendered all rights to his daughter when she was twelve years old." She said as if it explained everything. "She's a ward of the state."

"Yeah, so?" Mary Margaret demanded.

"So, that means that there is no one who could pay for her treatment, so we treat her as we see fit." The older woman continued.

"No, that's not how it works!" Hopper began to get irritated as well, which was no small feat, considering he had the patience of a saint. "The state pays for her treatment!"

"Yes, at a _state _hospital. Which we are not."

"Then send her to a state hospital! There's one less than two hours from here!" Mary Margaret exclaimed.

"I probably would have done that had I not needed her for more important things." Regina told her.

"What things?"

The room was quiet for a few minutes as the woman contemplated how to answer. In the end, she chose not to answer at all. "I have a lot of work to do. Dr. Hopper, the young lady can be your patient for the time being while I figure out what to do with her."

"No, I'll take her." Gold intervened. "Criminals are my expertise anyway." He didn't allow time for anyone to argue as he slipped out of the office and headed towards the elevator.

/

"It appears she's sustained quite a few injuries from the seizures the shock treatment brought on." Dr. Marco explained to Gold as he led him into the girl's room. "She has a fracture to her vertebrae, it's possible she might be in quite a bit of pain when she wakes up, or she might not feel anything. And as cruel as it sounds, my hopes are set on the former. For her sake."

Gold nodded and stared at the frail child who appeared to be sleeping peacefully. In reality, she had just never regained consciousness after her latest round of _therapy_. "Can the fracture be repaired?" He asked quietly.

"There is a surgery that can be performed, yes." Marco assured him. "But I won't refer her until she gets stronger and gains about twenty pounds."

Gold gave him a small grunt to show that he'd heard him as he continued to visually examine his new patient. They had changed her from the old ratty nightgown into a pair of yellow flannel pajamas-free of holes and stains. Her body and hair had been washed of all of the dust and grime of her confinement, she now looked clean and pure. The cuts, scars, and bruises that cover every inch of visible skin made him clench his fists.

This was no patient. At least not to Regina she wasn't. No, this was the Director's experiment. This was her guinea pig. "You're safe now." He whispered, patting her blanket covered leg gently before turning back to Marco.

"She's to have an orderly guarding her room at all times." He told the man quietly as he started to leave, but hesitated as got to the door. "And I shall assign who that will be." He added before walking out.

/

In the end, Mary Margaret volunteered to stay with David as he guarded the girl's room. Neither of them had any complaints when Gold assigned the young man the task. They both wanted to see that the abused patient had a smooth recovery.

"She went to my school." Mary mused as she watched the sleeping girl through the window in the door. David raised his eyebrows and followed his fiance's gaze.

"She was only thirteen when she was locked up." He reminded her. Mary Margaret nodded and leaned against the door frame.

"Mhm she went to my elementary school. She was a grade behind me." She told him. "She was a grade behind Ruby and me."

"Wow, I can't even remember my teachers in elementary school, let alone the kids in other grades!" David chuckled a bit.

"Well, she's a hard one to forget." Mary sighed. "She was so small for her age. She was always getting run over by the bigger kids. And she was just the sweetest little thing." A wistful smile graced her lips.

"Did you ever talk to her?"

"Every now and then I'd walk her to her class. She was a little shy so I can't remember her really ever talking to anyone." She racked her memory. "She always had her nose in a book though! That's how she was always tripping and falling."

"Did she not have any friends?" David couldn't help but feel pity for the little girl Mary described. To be so shy that she couldn't even communicate with those around her? It was heartbreaking. Mary thought for a moment before her eyes lit up.

"She did have one friend."

/

Gold was exhausted. He had spent the past eight hours alternating between trying to sleep on the couch in his office and reading case studies on raw shock therapy and the after effects. He didn't know if her should be frustrated or relieved that there weren't many cases like this one.

He remembered, during his internship days, a patient who wasn't given enough sedative during shock therapy. The man had seized so violently that he'd bitten off his own tongue.

Luckily, this girl hadn't lost any of her extremities. But she was damaged-severely so. Her body had felt so limp in his arms as he'd carried her through the lobby and into the elevator. He wasn't a very strong man, given his age and ailment, so the fact that he was able to carry her with no trouble at all was really saying something.

He made his morning tea in a daze and drank it all in one sip, as though hoping for his body to absorb the caffeine immediately. Walking out into the hall, he returned the friendly smile from passing nurses with glares and eye rolls. He was never in the mood to act cordial towards others, why would he today? After the night he'd had, and the things he'd seen, he would have been surprised if he'd ever be friendly to anyone again.

"Dr. Blanchard, Mr. Nolan." He greeted the couple as he approached the room that held the source of all of his anxieties. "Any change?"

Not at all taken aback by his lack of small talk, the couple shook their heads." Gold nodded and looked into the room. After a moment, his eyes narrowed.

"What is Miss. Serea doing in there?" He demanded, pointing at the redheaded girl sitting at the foot of the patient's bed.

"Adelaide was her best friend when they were kids." Mary told him, prepared for his wrath. "They were in the same class every year and they lived in the same neighborhood."

"And she's sitting on her bed because...?" Gold was trying to remember why he allowed these two to be alone with the fragile creature they'd just rescued.

"She's talking to her. About their childhood. Comforting her." David answered for his fiance. "All she really needs right now is a friendly and familiar face."

"Really? Is that your medical opinion?" Rumforde was losing his patience. "All she needs is a buddy from her schoolyard days and a spoonful of sugar? Will that help repair the five years of torture and starvation? Will it fix the damage done to her mind and body after she was brutally shocked 208 times?"

The pair didn't reply, knowing that anything they may have said would only have elicited another outburst from the cranky doctor.

Suddenly the door opened, and Adelaide stuck her head out. "I think she's waking up." The redhead whispered before quickly moving out of the way so that the doctors could charge into the room. David gently pulled her arm so he could lead her back to her room.

"Hey!" Mary said quietly as she approached the bed where the girl was slowly opening her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

The patient squinted up at her, confusion plagued her blue eyes. Gold glared at his colleague before also addressing the girl. "Perhaps Dr. Blanchard has forgotten that you're currently unable to communicate verbally with us." He said pointedly nodding towards Mary. "Which is fine. But would you be able to nod yes or no?" The girl demonstrated with a small nod.

"Good." The older Doctor smiled and sat in a chair beside the bed. "Are you feeling alright?" Another nod.

"Do you remember anything from the past twenty-four hours?" Mary Margaret asked. The patient hesitated before nodding again, tears began to form in her cerulean eyes. "Do you remember coming here?" The girl shook her head quickly, as though she were afraid to answer otherwise.

"Do you remember your name?" Gold continued, trying to get to questions she'd be more comfortable with. The tired beauty nodded again, her eyes narrowing in confusion. Rumforde pulled a pad and pen out of his pocket and held it out to her. "If it's not too much trouble dearie?" He placed the objects in her trembling hands.

After a couple of tries, she was finally able to scribble her name on the paper. Gold took it from her with a gentle smile, which grew when he read her almost childlike handwriting.

"Well, welcome back to the world Belle." He whispered. Not really knowing what to think of the intimidating man in the tailored suit standing before her, Belle French smiled shakily in return.

/

**Review Please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry again for the delay. Hopefully my cogs will work faster now that finals are over and done with! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and Happy Emilie Day!**

**(I own nothing)**

/

He had never had a patient like Belle. She was still barely speaking, but she was still quite expressive. She had almost a childlike quality about her that was both endearing and sad at the same time. He would walk her around the halls of Storybrooke, telling her about all of the events she had missed in the years she'd been hidden away.

Their sessions mostly consisted of yes and no questions and a lot of tears from the terrified girl. She'd been tortured for so long for just breathing wrong. She was always being 'tested' and 'treated' for sociopath tendencies, when in reality she appeared to be a normal girl with a big imagination.

Slowly, she became more comfortable with him. He'd sworn countless times that he would never shock her, or bind her in any way. He wanted her to feel safe in his care. After a few weeks she was almost at home in his office. She would even take off her slippers and curl her skinny legs up under her on the couch.

It had been nearly a whole month-with two sessions every day-when he decided it was time to raise the bar a little. "Belle, we're going to try some verbal communication today alright?" He said gently as she finished her tea. The teenager gulped loudly as she set down her teacup.

"Nothing too taxing!" Gold assured her. "Just simple yes's and no's, does that sound okay?" Belle began to nod, but after a stern look from her doctor she cleared her throat.

"Y-y-yes." She stuttered, her voice raspy from years of disuse. Gold smiled.

"Good girl!" He praised, patting her knee. "Now, do you remember much from your childhood?"

She shrugged, "Yes."

"Was it a nice childhood?"

"Yes."

"Did you have many friends?"

"No."

"Well that must have been very lonely."

"No...yes."

"Do you remember your mother?"

"No."

"Your father?"

"...Yes..."

He noticed her hesitation and made a note to discuss her father later on when she was more vocal.

Their session went on like this for about a half hour before it was time for her to go to the dining hall. "Now, I want you to find Adelaide and sit with her. You remember her right?" He said as he walked her to the door.

"Yes." A small smile appeared on Belle's lips.

"Maybe try to talk to her and some of the others. They're not so bad." He teased, patting her back. "Come back here after dinner, and we can see what progress you made, alright?"

He started to pat her back, but she stepped into his arms and wrapped her arms around his midsection. Rumforde stood stunned for a moment, not really sure how to respond. Finally he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and patted her back awkwardly.

"Thank you." She whispered against his shoulder before pulling back and stepped out of his office and walked down the hall.

Still in shock over the whole encounter, Gold watched his youngest patient's back until she was out of sight. "Huh." He muttered as he stepped back into his office.

/

Belle had found Adelaide quickly. She was sitting with a few other people around the same age as herself. Ruby was the first one to introduce herself. She had long black hair pulled into a sloppy ponytail and she was wearing a bright red hoody with black leggings. She seemed so comfortable in the terrifying lunchroom, that Belle almost envied her.

For the past month, she had been eating all of her meals in either the safety of her room or in Dr. Gold's office. She hadn't been ready to be a part of the world yet. She still wasn't sure if she was ready.

Next to Ruby was Ashley, a timid blonde with scared eyes, but a sweet smile. She was also quite friendly, if not a little reserved.

The others weren't quite as talkative, so she didn't learn their names right away, but she was still included all the same.

Knowing that she wouldn't be up for talking, Adelaide kept the conversation light and easy. "Are you feeling better?" She asked, nibbling on her roll. Belle nodded as she stirred her corn around.

"Yes." She replied quietly.

"Don't worry about anything, everyone here is really nice! Well, for the most part!" The redhead seemed a little too cheery given where she was.

Belle nodded in acknowledgment as she ate a tiny bite of her turkey. She really wasn't hungry, but she knew she had to eat. So she ate the bare minimum to remain healthy.

"Miss. French?" A harsh voice startled her out of her daydreams. She looked up to see a rotund nurse with a harsh face glaring down at her. "Take these!" She thrust a small paper cup into her hand.

"Wh-what?" Belle murmured looking down at the six, no seven, colorful pills.

"Your afternoon medication. Take them."

"I-I don't" Belle tried to hand the cup back to the large woman, which had been a big mistake.

"Yes you do!" The woman argued pushing her hand away.

"No!" Belle didn't like pills. She didn't like medicine. It made her sick. It made her mind fuzzy.

"Don't fight me young lady!" The nurse took the cup and pried Belle's mouth open roughly. "This...is why...you need...them!" She grunted as she pulled the small girl into an almost headlock position and shoved each pill and capsule down her throat.

Belle tried to scream, but no noise came out around the nurse's sausage-like fingers. She could hear Adelaide and Ruby yelling at the woman, she could feel someone trying to pull her out of the woman's grasp.

Then as quickly as it had happened, it was over. The nurse released her head before latching onto her arm and yanking her out of the lunchroom full of patients who seemed oblivious to what had just happened.

"Where are you taking her?" She heard Adelaide shout. But she her question went unanswered.

"We'll see what Ms. Mills thinks of your behavior!" The nurse growled pulling her through the hall. Hearing the familiar name of her tormentor, Belle whimpered and dug her feet into the ground the halt her movement.

"No! No!" She pleaded, bending her knees and pulling back.

"Come...On...Girl!" The woman grunted tugging her wrist so hard, she was sure something would dislocate.

Belle shook her head, and grabbed onto a nearby pillar to anchor herself. "No!" She cried, closing her eyes and shaking her head. She couldn't go back. She wouldn't.

At that moment, Dr. Gold rounded the corner to see Nurse Abbott mistreating his patient. Too stunned to speak for a moment, he stepped forward and grabbed the large woman's hairy arm.

"What the _hell _is going on here?" He demanded yanking the startled woman back and placing himself in front of her.

"The girl was refusing to take her medication. She became violent." Abbott defended her actions.

"I doubt that." Gold sneered. He knew Belle French. There wasn't a violent bone in her body. "Besides this patient isn't on medication. She's been detoxing for the past month."

"Not according to Director Mills."

"Well, according to Dr. Gold, she doesn't need them. And according to Dr. Gold, you're fired!" He was becoming angrier by the moment.

"You can't fire me!"

"Oh can't I?" Gold forced a laugh, keeping his voice as even as possible for Belle's sake. "Go ask your precious Director Mills to review our contract. I can hire and fire whomever I please! Now leave!"

Not wanting to give the vile creature another minute of his time, Rumforde turned and knelt down next to Belle who was still clinging to the pillar and sobbing. "Hey there." He whispered rubbing her back.

Opening her eyes, Belle looked up at her doctor apprehensively. "No...can't go back..." She choked, shaking her head.

"I'm taking you to my office, okay?" He helped her up and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Walk for me Sweetheart, we're not too far." He soothed her with his voice as they slowly made their way down the hall.

After what seemed like hours, they finally arrived at his office. "Tired." She murmured as he opened the door and led her inside.

"Belle." He said urgently as he sat her down on the couch. "Did you take the pills?"

Belle nodded sleepily. "Sh-she made m-me." She shuddered, rubbing her jaw and pouting.

Gold growled and stood up to pace. After weeks of weaning the poor girl off of the ridiculous cocktails of drugs. After countless nights in the hospital bay, holding her hair back as she vomited and hooking her up to IV's. After hallucinations and fevers and all of the sleepless nights, they shoved more pills down her throat.

Now he was about to do something that was very much against the rules. But what the hell? Who followed the rules in this damn hospital?

"Belle, I'm going to need you to throw up." He said, opening the door to his private bathroom and turning on the light. Belle looked up, her eyes glazed over.

"What?" She muttered, pushing herself to her feet.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I'm going to need you to vomit up the medication." He took off his suit jacket and began to roll up his sleeves. "Your body might become dependent again if we don't do this." He took her shaking hand and led her into the bathroom.

"Kneel down for me. That's a good girl." He whispered, helping her to sit in front of the tub. He wet his fingers in the sink before kneeling down next to her. "I'm sorry Belle, this will only hurt for a second." He held her head still with one hand and opened her mouth with the other.

After a slight hesitation, he gently pushed his index and middle finger into her mouth and back into her throat. Belle choked and struggled against him as he pushed further and further back. Rumforde's eyes watered as his patient screamed and cried against his fingers. He hated to do this to such a fragile creature, but it was ultimately the best thing for her.

Finally, she vomited. He could see the colorful remainders of capsules and tablets and her knew that most everything was purged from her system. Sighing with relief, Gold ran the water to wash everything down, before grabbing a washcloth and placing it under the faucet.

"It's okay Belle." He whispered, leaning back against the wall and pulling her into his lap. Slowly and gently, he ran the washcloth over her face. "I'm so sorry." His heart broke as she continued to cry.

She clung to him like a lifeline and he clung back. He never felt anything like this before for a patient. He had never felt emotional response. But as young Belle wept in his arms, he couldn't stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks as he pressed his lips to her forehead.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This is a short one. But I wanted to get something up ASAP. My class load was a bit more than I expected but I'll be dropping something soon so I should get some time back!**

**Thanks for sticking with me!**

**I own nothing!**

"Please make sure that we have an extra set of locks on Anton's door. He's too strong for the flimsy bolts we have now." Regina told Graham, her personal assistant, as she shuffled through some files on her desk.

"Will do." Graham muttered writing it down on his notepad. "Anything else?" Before his boss could reply, Dr. Gold stormed into the office.

"Yes, please show Dr. Gold out." Regina plastered on a smile and folded her hands on her desk.

"I need to talk to you." Rumforde growled, leaving no room for argument. Regina glared at him for a moment before nodding at Graham.

"Leave us." She sighed, leaning back in her seat. When the young man left the room she turned her attention back to the doctor. "What do you want?"

"I want you to stay away from my patient." Gold ordered pointing his finger at her. "I want you and your nurses and your empty-headed orderlies to leave her alone!"

"Dr. Gold, I believe you have many patients. So unless you want to be more specefic-"

"You know exactly who I am talking about!" Rumforde slammed his hand down on the desk. "Did you order Abbott to medicate Miss. French?"

"This is a hospital Doctor, so I don't think that's exactly out of line." Regina pretended to take up interest in the paperwork on her desk again.

"Did you tell her to nearly strangle her, pry her mouth open, and shove the pills down her throat?" Gold tried not to shout, but he couldn't control it. His thoughts were focused on the terrified girl sleeping on the couch in his office.

"If a patient resists then sometimes were are to use any means necessary." Regina shrugged and set her pen down.

"She's been detoxing. I've ordered her not to take any medication." Rumforde growled between his teeth. "She's still recovering from the drugs you pumped into her for years!"

Regina rolled her eyes, "Are you not going to let that drop Gold?" She sighed, standing up and rounding the desk. "You've rehabilitated your stray, now keep her kenneled and everything will be hunky dory!"

"She's a human being!" Gold shouted. "And any rehabiliation that's been done has gone down the drain thanks to your orders!"

"Dr. Gold, I have a lot of work to do so if you would kindly reach a point." Rubbing her eyes, the Director leaned against her desk.

Gold leaned forward and pointed his finger at her again. "Anyone who talks to her, treats her, touches her, or even looks at her goes through me first. Dr. Blanchard and Orderly Nolan are authorized, and no one else." He waved his hand. "If you disobey me, I will leave this hospital and all of my money will come with me!" He stormed out of the office and slammed the door behind him.

Regina's smirk fell off of her face as soon as he was gone.

/

"Everything is healing wonderfully." Dr. Booth stated looking at the radiographs of Belle's spine. "It's just what I thought before. A small fracture, nothing to be too concerned about. Just no acrobatics for a while." He winked at her before turning to Dr. Gold who nodded towards the hall.

"Belle, why don't we get you dressed and I'll walk you down for lunch?" Dr. Blanchard offered, as she began to untie the back of the paper gown Belle was wearing.

"Don't leave her side." Gold ordered as he stepped outside. Mary Margaret nodded as she gathered Belle's clothes.

Once they were out in the hall, Gold turned to Booth. "How was her bloodwork?" He asked quietly.

"Everything looked fine. She's severely anemic, but the supplements are definitely helping with that. Her liver and kidney values leave something to be desired, but considering the conditions she'd been living in, I'd say she's doing great." August told him. "Some of the antipsychotics have caused some tremors and Parkinsonism, but hopefully the symptoms will subside."

"She's really weak still." Rumforde observed.

"Well she wasn't allowed a whole lot of exercise down there. And she's been given cocktails of drugs that should never be combined." Booth reminded him. "I doubt her muscles will ever be restored. She's lucky to be walking at this point. You've done an incredible job Doctor."

"I appreciate that, but a lot of the credit goes to Belle. She's a tough one." Gold smiled fondly at the girl as Mary Margaret opened the door and led her out. "I'll meet you down there shortly dearest." He promised when she looked at him with uncertainty. August watched his colleague gaze at the retreating patient.

"Your fond of her." It was an observation, not a question.

"I feel a strong bond with her yes." Gold agreed. "She's been through so much. She deserves to feel protected."

"Just be careful Gold." Booth warned. "Director Mills has always gone for the jugular, and if she even thinks you have feelings for someone..." He didn't need to finish the sentence for Rumforde to understand his implications.

"I intend to be_very_ careful with her." He promised the younger man with a pat on the back.

/

"Two more bites sweetie." Mary Margaret ordered gently as Belle tried to push her lunch trey away. The girl sighed and scooped a spoonful of corn into her mouth. "Now eat some of the chicken." The doctor smiled at the face the girl made.

"I'm not hungry." Belle whimpered. Mary Margaret had a feeling that the girl's large cornflower eyes would win over many hearts if she had been able to live her life like a normal girl. But she had training, and she knew better than to give in to the varying charms of the patients.

"You need protein. One bite." She insisted, tearing off a small piece of the chicken tender and handing it to her. Belle wrinkled her nose and took the meat between her fingers.

"Hey!" A voice startled them. Belle smiled when she saw Dr. Gold approaching the table. "You ready for our walk?"

The girl nodded and popped the chicken in her mouth before standing up. She patted Dr. Blanchard's shoulder appreciatively before hurrying taking Dr. Gold's hand and pulling him towards the hall.

"Thank you!" He mouthed to Mary Margaret before going with his patient.

/

He didn't like her to move too much. She was still quite weak and frail, but she longed for the outdoors. She had been locked in the dark for so long, who was he to deny her such a small joy in life.

"Can I plant flowers in my room?" she asked as she leaned down to smell some Belinda Roses.

"If you'd like." Gold smiled as she continued onto the Azaleas. She had only been outside a few times since she'd gained freedom, and everytime she did, she went right to the garden. "What kind of flowers would you like?" He wanted her to use her voice as much as possible.

"Roses...any kind of roses..." She murmured fingering some of the pink petals. "And tulips...and daisies..." She smiled up at him.

"Your wish is my command. On one condition" He said slowly. Belle stopped studying the daffodils and eyed him suspiciously. "I want you to finish at least one meal a day."

He chuckled at his patient's narrowed eyes. The girl wasn't fooled by anything. "Then I'd like a counter-deal." She said after a beat.

Ignoring her disregard to the rules of dealmaking, Rumforde nodded. "Go on." He sighed, easing down onto a bench.

"I'd like to eat with you." Belle requested, bending down to take a fallen rose from the ground before placing it back in it's rightful bush, as though that would restore its life.

"In the lunchroom?" He raised his eyebrows at her. "Dearest, I'm afraid that's not possible. I don't eat in the lunchroom."

"Oh." Belle bit her lip as she sat on her knees in the grass.

Not liking the look of disappointment on her face, Gold decided that he could make an acception for her. "But, you can eat in my office." He offered. "I'll even cook...every now and then." He winked at her.

Belle smiled and picked up a small stick to fiddle with. "I'd like that." She said.

"So, I eat with you, you finish a meal, and I get you flowers." He summarized. "Do we have a deal."

"No."

"No?"

"No." Belle shook her head. "I don't want flowers. I want the seeds." She clarified.

Gold smiled fondly. "The seeds then." He agreed. "I'll have them for you tomorrow." He stood up and offered her his hand.

"Five more minutes?" Belle begged, still putting her tiny finger in his palm. Gold hesitated for only a moment before relenting.

"Make it ten." He whispered, lowering himself into the grass, not caring if it bothered his knee. "And you can tell me more about flowers."

He told himself it was an exercise for her to use her voice. So she'd be more verbal and eloquent with her speech. But in reality, he just loved the sound of her voice.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Another short chapter. Enjoy!**

**Thanks for all of the awesome reviews!**

**I own nothing.**

/

"I made you something." It was the first thing she said to him when she stepped into his office for her morning session. "I started it a few days ago, it was finally dry this morning. Dr. Blanchard went with me to check. It turned out pretty good." She held up a paper bag.

Gold smiled as he took the bag from her. "Thank you Belle." He opened the bag and pulled out a small vase. She had obviously made it on the spinning wheel. The clay was bumpy and riddled with imperfections, but he loved it. She had painted it a dark brown color with a gold 'G' in the center of it. "It's lovely." He beamed at his perfect imperfect gift.

"I thought it would be nice to hold pens in...or..." She trailed off when she saw the sterling silver and crystal pen holder already placed on his desk. "Paperclips...or something..." She shrugged as she slowly sat on the couch.

"Nonsense!" Rumforde went over to his desk and snatched the pens out of the holder before tossing it in the trash. "This is exactly what I needed. It looks perfect." He admired her gift as he set it on his desk and put the pens in it.

Belle smiled shyly and twiddled her thumbs. "I wish I could have gotten you something nicer, but it's not like I can go shopping." She gestured her surroundings.

"Belle, this is honestly the most wonderful gift you could have gotten me." He sat next to her on the couch and patted her hand comfortingly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She replied. She was happy she could please him with such a silly little gift.

"Do you like receiving gifts?" Rumforde asked her after a few minutes. Belle shrugged and shook her head.

"I-I don't remember." She tried to laugh it off, but he could see sadness wash over her beautiful features.

"Close your eyes." He ordered softly, before standing up and taking his notepad off of his desk. "And try to remember the last time someone gave you a present." It was an exercise he used often. He'd learned quickly that the best thing for Belle's memory was deep meditation.

She obeyed him without question. Taking a deep breath, she shut her eyes and tried to remember. "I think I was four." She murmured after a few minutes of silence.

"Four?" His heart broke. The last time this sweet girl got a present was fourteen years ago?

"Maybe five..." She second guessed herself. "It was the day before my fifth birthday." She finally said with confidence.

"Who gave you the gift?" He sat in the large leather wing-back chair in across from the couch.

"My mother." Belle nibbled on her bottom lip as the memories washed over her.

/

_ "Wake up my beautiful Blue Belle." Grace French cooed sitting on the edge of her only child's bed. "I've got a surprise for you." She smiled as the little girl sat up._

_ "Good morning mommy." Belle rubbed her eyes as she tried to lie back down. Grace chuckled as she grabbed her gently under the arms and pulled her back up. _

_ "It's time to get up sleepyhead." She kissed the top of her daughter's dark, tangled hair. She pulled a white box with a light pink bow wrapped around it from behind her back. "I got you an early birthday present."_

_ She was a young mother with long chestnut curls and sparkling blue eyes. She didn't have a lot of money, but she refused to contact Belle's father for assistance. She had been determined to raise the girl on her own._

_ "Thank you mommy." Belle hugged the box to herself as though it were the gift itself. _

_ "Open it baby." Grace urged. The child gently untied the ribbon and set it aside for her mother to tie into her hair later on. Lifting the lid off of the box, she gasped at what was inside._

_ "Oh thank you!"She exclaimed pulling the plush brown teddy bear out of the box. "I love him!"_

_ "I'm so glad." Grace kissed her cheek as she admired her gift. "Happy Birthday sweet girl."_

/

"Why did she give you it the day before?" Rumforde asked, resisting the urge to wipe the tears off of her cheeks.

"She had to work on my birthday." Belle sniffled. "I had to celebrate at my neighbor's house. We had day old pie and watched _Dallas_."

"Was it a happy birthday?" He wanted all of her days, past and future, to be happy.

"I loved Mrs. Hightower, she let me play dress up with her wigs." She laughed softly as she opened her eyes. "I miss her." She grew serious, and Gold had a feeling she was no longer referring to her neighbor.

"What was she like?" He asked as she stared off into space. "Your mother."

"She was perfect in every way." She replied without hesitation. "She worked nearly fifty hours a week in some bar downtown, but she always came home with a smile. She made sure that I always had food in my stomach and new clothes at the beginning of the school year. Not that it mattered, I would've been happy no matter what."

"Where is she now?" Gold asked, hating to see the blissful smile leave her face.

"I-I don't know..." She shrugged. "One day I was sleeping in my own bed, the next I woke up in this place."

Rumforde was stunned. "You don't remember coming here?"

Belle shook her head. "No." She whispered. "I just remember waking up...and seeing that woman..." She shuddered.

"What woman?" He felt the question was unnecessary. He knew exactly who she was talking about.

"The woman with the horrible eyes..." She bit back a whimper. "Please...can we stop talking about it?" She looked like a little girl begging not to be sent to her room. Normally he would have urged that she continue with her memories, but he couldn't resist that face.

"Of course sweetheart." He smiled comfortingly at her as he stood up. "Why don't we go for a walk?" She nodded immediately and took his outstretched hand.

"Yes. Yes I'd like that." She wiped her eyes as he pulled her up.

Rumforde led her out of the office, and was just locking the door when he heard a cold voice. "Ah, Dr. Gold, it seems I've caught you just in time." Director Mills approached them like a typhoon of bad perfume and red.

"Yes, just in time to see me go." He placed himself between his patient and the vile woman. "I was just on my way out."

"Well that's too bad." Regina pretended to be disappointed. "I had to go over some of the zoning papers for our new wing."

"I have office hours for such discussions. And a lawyer." Gold said shortly. "Now if you'll excuse-"

"You must be Miss. French." Regina interrupted, holding her hand out to Belle. "I'm Director Mills, I hope you're enjoying your stay here at Storybrooke."

Gold scoffed, and was about to say something, but stopped when Belle shook the woman's hand without hesitation. "I am thank you. Dr. Gold has been wonderful." She replied with a small smile.

"That's great to hear." Regina gave the girl a Cheshire grin before winking at Gold. "I'll contact you later Doctor." She nodded at him before sauntering off.

Once she was out of ear shot, Gold turned to his patient and took her arms. "I'm sorry you had to see her Belle, I tried to avoid that happening so soon."

"Why? She seems nice." Belle questioned, her brows furrowed.

Gold let her go, puzzled. "I...you didn't recognize her?" He stuttered in confusion.

"From where?" Belle turned to look in the direction Regina had gone, "I don't think I've ever seen her before."

Rumforde thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Never mind." He smiled and held his arm out. "Shall we?"

Belle giggled and nodded as she put her hand in the crook of his elbow and let him lead her towards the stairs.

As they walked, Gold wracked his brain, trying to figure out what other woman with horrible eyes could have locked his Belle up.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This is where stuff gets real! A lot happens in this chapter, and there might be some loose ends, but everything will be explained eventually.**

**I own nothing!**

Winter hit fast and it hit hard. Rumforde went to bed one warm night and woke up the next morning to snow on the ground and an iced over pond in his back yard.

"It's going to be a cold day." His maid, Mrs. Potts, stated the obvious as he came downstairs to get breakfast. "I laid out your overcoat and scarf."

"Thank you." Gold muttered, grabbing the box of pastries he'd picked up the night before off of the kitchen counter. "I'll be late tonight, don't bother with dinner. I'll eat at the hospital."

"Alright." Potts sighed disapprovingly as she helped him on with his coat. "But I doubt that they have very healthy options there."

"They have salad." Rumforde informed her defensively. "I'll see you tomorrow." He gave her a small wave before stepping outside.

It was still snowing lightly as he walked carefully to his Rolls Royce and climbed in. "Bloody perfect." He grumbled, blasting the heat and waiting for the windows to defrost.

/

When he got to Storybrooke, he immediately went into the common room to see Belle. He had made it a point to make sure to visit with her first thing every morning. When he didn't find her in her normal seat by the television with a book in her lap he got a little nervous.

"Hello Dr. Gold!" Ruby, one of the friends Belle had made, greeted him. "Lovely morning huh?"

Rumforde chuckled humorlessly at her joke as he scanned the room. "Yes, yes, have you seen Belle?" He asked.

"Um...no not yet." She said after a moment's thought. "Maybe check the lunch room."

"Yeah I'll try there. Thanks." He murmured before heading back out into the hall. He knew he wouldn't find her in the lunchroom. She was supposed to eat breakfast with him in his office for her morning session. Just like every morning.

"Dr. Blanchard!" He exclaimed when he saw the young doctor speaking to Adelaide in the hallway.

"Just a moment Dr. Go-"

"Have you seen Belle?" He cut her off. His voice was more harsh then he'd intended for it to be, but he had to make sure Belle was okay.

"No, I just got in." Mary Margaret said sternly. "She might still be in bed, it's rather early."

"She doesn't sleep past six." He sighed as though it were something she should already know. "Thanks anyway." He waved her off as he stormed away to continue his search.

Going up to the second floor, he stuck his head into the cafeteria just check. As he suspected, no Belle. Walking briskly towards the staircase leading up to the third story he almost didn't see her slight form sitting on a window seat in the hall.

"Belle." He sighed placing a hand over his racing heart as he walked over to her. She jumped slightly at his sudden voice and turned to smile at him.

"Dr. Gold!" She beamed as she pointed out the window. "It's snowing!" He nodded and sat down next to her, slightly out of breath.

"It is." He agreed, sparing a small glance at the white hills outside. "It kind of happened overnight huh?" He couldn't help but grin as he watched her stare at the snow with childlike wonder. After years of being locked up, she had missed so much. It was like everything was new to her.

"Maybe we can go out in it later." He suggested. His heart felt lighter when her face lit up.

"That would be wonderful!" She exclaimed, but she instantly deflated, "I don't have any warm clothes though." She gestured her T-shirt and sweat pants dejectedly.

"I can get you something to wear." He comforted her. "Now, why don't you come finish your book in my office. We still have another hour until our session." He helped her down from the seat and began to lead her towards the stairs.

"I already finished it." She informed him proudly. "Charlotte dies." A small frown touched her lips as they walked down the steps slowly.

"We can go to the library and pick out another one if you'd like." He offered. He wanted to cheer her up, if the fictional spider's demise was weighing on her heart at all.

"No, I can wait until later." She shrugged. "We can just start our session early, or just talk about other things."

"That sounds lovely." He smiled softly as he led her towards his office.

/

They had a nice morning together. They enjoyed a leisurely breakfast together before their session. At around ten, David came by his office to take her to craft time, just like every day.

After she left, he began to get ready to head out and get her some new winter clothes. Just as he was putting his coat on, Dr. Hopper poked his head into his office. "Dr. Gold, can we speak for a moment?" He asked nervously.

"Just make it quick Dr. Hopper." Rumforde sighed, not sparing his colleague a glance as he searched the office for anything he may need.

Archie came in and shut the door behind himself. "It's about Miss. French." He said quietly. Gold stopped moving about instantly and glowered at the man.

"What about her?" He demanded.

"Well...you see...Regina has thought that it would be better if...I began to take over her treatment." He stuttered. "Which I of course disagree with! But she's sort of...made it an order."

Gold stared at him for a moment, before sitting in his chair. "Well, don't you worry about that order Dr. Hopper." He said, his voice was deathly calm. "I will see to it that our arrangement remains as it is."

"I just feel that it's wrong to transfer a patient without cause." Archie explained. "Especially when one has had a trauma like Belle has."

"I fully agree doctor. Thank you." Rumforde led the man out of his office with him. "I will handle this matter promptly."

/

"Dr. Gold, she's very busy!" Graham tried to stop him as he stormed towards her office door.

"I don't give a rat's ass!" Rumforde snarled opening the door so hard, that it slammed against the wall. "How dare you!"

"I will start locking my door if we don't learn how to knock." Regina scolded as she typed some information into her computer. "What do you want Dr. Gold? Unlike you, I have a lot of business to attend to."

"Did I not make myself clear when I told you that I am calling the shots here? This is my hospital! I own it, therefore I own you!" He shouted. "You do not determine who I treat! You are simply here to watch over the staff! Not me!" He was about to leave, but her voice stopped him.

"You have too much on your plate! Your newer patients need to be transferred to Dr. Hopper. He's had two patients discharged in the last month." She explained calmly. "He's doing very well."

"Well isn't that promising?" Rumforde sneered. "I have been just fine with my other patients! I'm not looking to pawn them off onto anyone!"

"I don't want anyone being neglected." Regina said calmly.

"Really? Neglected? Like in a basement? Being shocked into submission?" His voice grew calmer, knowing that he had her. "You will not take her from me. She is my patient and she needs me. That's final." He gave her one final glare before storming out of the office.

/

He didn't understand why he was so angry as he drove through the gates of Storybrooke, towards the highway. Regina has been meddling with his patients for years. There had been many times where she would switch patients around on him, and though he would have put up a fight, he never got so enraged.

He just wanted Belle to feel safe. That was the bottom line.

There was something about the girl that brought out a very primitive side in him. She was a little cub who needed his protection. He wanted to stand over her and tear apart anything that came at her.

He was so focused on his rage that he almost didn't hear his phone ringing. Sighing, he dug the small device out of his breast pocket. "Yes, Dr. Gold." He growled. "What?...When did this happen?...Alright, alright. I'll be there promptly!" He hung up and tossed the phone in the passenger seat before making a completely illegal U-turn.

/

"Belle, it's time for lunch!" Mary Margaret called from the doorway of the common room.

"I need to wait for him." She said quietly, staring out the window at the snow covered driveway. "He'll be back soon."

Dr. Blanchard sighed and looked at her watch. "Okay, five more minutes." She reasoned, watching the patient anxiously. "I'll be back down here for you then, alright?"

Belle nodded, but didn't take her eyes away from the window.

/

"You don't see anything missing?" Sheriff Swan asked as he wandered through the last room on the bottom floor.

"No, I can't say that I do." Rumforde said, closing the door behind him. "But I do have a lot of stuff." He added with a wink.

Swan rolled her eyes and made a note in her pad. "Okay, well I gave Mrs. Potts my number if you find something." She gave a final look to his shaken maid, before seeing herself out.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop them Dr. Gold." Mrs. Potts nearly sobbed as soon as they were alone. "They were too fast!"

"It's alright Mrs. Potts. You did the right thing in calling the police." Gold soothed her. "Now, why don't you take the rest of today and tomorrow off. Go see your son and grand kids."

"I...I think I'd like that." She sniffled.

"Good, I'll call Dove to drive you okay?" He sat her down in the living room before walking into the foyer to make the call.

He had been livid when he received the call from Sheriff Swan saying that two masked been had broken into his home. He didn't like to have his privacy violated, but seeing that nothing vital had been taken and that they hadn't gotten into his private study, he decided not to pursue it for now.

He made sure to get Mrs. Potts safely on the road before heading back out to continue his errands.

He didn't realize the time until he turned his car on. "12:36..." He read the analog clock aloud. "Dammit!" Picking up his phone, he quickly began to dial.

/

"She's waiting for you in the common room now." Mary Margaret chuckled lightly as she jogged down the stairs. "She wasn't too happy about you being late."

_"Let her know I'm on my way." _Gold told her.

"Will do..." She trailed off when she got to the now empty common room. "Belle?" She called, slightly panicked.

_"What's wrong?" _Gold snapped.

"We may have a problem."

/

She never told him she had memorized the code to the outside door. She had no reason to know it. She didn't really ever want to escape. She had just seen him enter it so many times when they went on their walks, that it had engrained itself into her memory.

She waited until the orderlies at the front desk were both distracted with phone calls before crawling towards the door and reaching up to blindly enter the code. When the green light appeared on the number pad, she turned the handle and sprinted outside without looking back.

/

"She's not on the third floor." David told her as he met her at the bottom of the stairs in the lobby. "I had Ruby search the east wing. She said she didn't see her."

"Archie checked the basement." Dr. Blanchard said. "She's not in the hospital." Her eyes began to well up as she ran her fingers through her short dark hair. David patted her back soothingly.

"We'll find her okay?" He said leading her towards the front door. "She got outside somehow. But we'll find her."

/

She knew why he wanted to get her special clothes five minutes into her walk. Her thin T-shirt and sweat pants did little to ward off the icy winds. She had lost her white slippers when she reached the first snow bank, and her socks were soaked through. But she had to find him. He was never late.

She was just making it to the tree line when she went through another waist deep bank. She whimpered and grabbed a low hanging branch to pull herself out. She could barely feel anything from the waist down, but she continued on through the woods.

/

Mary Margaret's heart stopped when she saw the black Rolls Royce pull up. "Dr. Gold..." She ran over to him.

"Spare me your excuses Dr. Blanchard." He held up his hand and looked around the parking lot. "I assume that she's not in the building if you're out here."

"David and some of the orderlies are searching the grounds and gardens before spreading out to the woods. Adelaide and I are waiting here in case she comes back." She gestured to the redheaded patient who was sitting on the front stoop with a mug of cocoa cradled in her hands.

"Well you two have fun camping out here." He snarled before trudging through the snow to find his patient.

/

She slid down a small hill on her hind end because she didn't trust her legs to carry her. She was completely numb from head to toe. But that made it easier for her.

She walked for what seemed like forever before she reached a large opening. She gasped as she stared at the flat plain before her. "Wow." She breathed looking around at the white expanse of land. She slowly began to move forward, hoping that this meant that she was getting close to the road.

She was about a quarter of the way across the field when she began to hear it. A small cracking sound.

/

He knew he was going the right way when he found her slippers. He walked through the woods as quickly as his bum leg would allow. He could see her tiny foot prints in the snow. He could see where she tripped and stumbled and slid. It made him move faster.

Panic welled up when he saw the clearing coming up. The lake had began to ice over days before when the freeze set in. Now the snow would have covered it. And it would have weighed the ice down. If anyone were to step foot on it, they would surely fall through.

But Belle was tiny. Maybe she'd be fine. Maybe she could get across.

/

She squatted down to brush the snow away. She gasped when she saw the black ice beneath her feet. She stood back up and looked around frantically.

"Belle!" She heard him before she saw him. "Belle!"

"Dr. Gold!" She yelled back as she searched for him. Finally she saw his familiar form rushing from the direction she had come from. She smiled and began to stumble back towards him, but a another loud crack stopped her.

"Belle!" He stopped when he reached the edge of the lake. "I need you to walk to your right a few feet, and then move towards me!" He knew how to handle ice after many childhood winters playing on the frozen lakes in Scotland. The girl silently nodded and obeyed him.

She sniffled as she walked a few paces to the side before walking quickly towards her doctor. She was about twenty feet from the shore when she felt the ground come out from under her. She barely had time to scream before she felt the ice cold daggers hit her face.

Gold gasped and lunged forward. He threw the rules of ice safety out the window as he ran towards the hole she had fallen in and splayed him self out on his stomach reaching his cane towards the black water. "Belle! Grab on! Grab onto it!" He shouted frantically to the girl thrashing about in the water. She took a deep breath to compose herself as she grasped the golden handle in her shaky hands.

She held on as long as it took for him to pull her upper half out onto the solid ice. Once she was within his reach, he grabbed her under the arms and pulled her as quickly as he could towards the bank. "Belle! Belle!" He choked laying her down on the ground so he could take off his jacket and wrap it around her shaking form.

Her lips and closed eyelids were already turning blue. "Belle!" He pulled her into his lap and hugged her close, burying his face into her wet hair. He barely thought about it as he pulled his phone from his pocket and began dialing. "We're at the lake. Get Nolan down here right away!" He ordered briskly before hanging up and turning his attention back to his frozen Belle.

"You're okay." He whispered, kissing her temple repeatedly. "I've got you. You're okay."


End file.
